Month: September 2021

Female Writer, Film Festivals, Film Industry, Film Reviews

The Survivor: TIFF 2021 Review

Year: 2021 Runtime: 129 Minutes Director: Barry Levinson Writer(s): Justine Juel Gillmer Stars: Ben Foster, Billy Magnussen, Danny Devito, John Leguizamo, Vicky Krieps “Rain Man” (1988) director Barry Levinson returns to delve into the dark story of an Auschwitz survivor fighting his past and wrestling with survivor’s guilt. “The Survivor”(2021) is a biographical depiction of Harry Haft’s (Ben Foster) struggles after surviving Auschwitz by fighting … Continue reading The Survivor: TIFF 2021 Review

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Documentaries, Film Industry, Film Reviews

Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over: TIFF21 Review

Year: 2021 Runtime: 95 minutes Director: Dave Wooley, David Heilbroner Writer: Dave Wooley By Joan Amenn **Dionne Warwick is the recipient of the Toronto Film Festival’s Special Recognition Award this year.** The legendary singer, activist, and fashion icon Dionne Warwick looks back at her incredible career with “Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over” (2021). Even if you think you don’t know the lady’s music, this … Continue reading Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over: TIFF21 Review

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Female Characters, Female Filmmaker, Female Filmmakers, Female Writer, Feminism, Film Festivals, Film Reviews, Reviews, World Cinema

As In Heaven: #TIFF21 Review

“As In Heaven” is a tactile and visceral film about the poisonous mix of poorly interpreted religion and superstition, and the affect this has on women. This one night is a distillation of something far more wide reaching and devastating for women everywhere. Continue reading As In Heaven: #TIFF21 Review

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Film Festivals, Film Industry, Film Reviews, Mental Health

Encounter: TIFF 2021 Review

Year: 2021 Runtime: 108 Minutes Director: Michael Pearce Writer(s): Michael Pearce, Joe Barton Stars: Riz Ahmed, Octavia Spencer, Lucian-River Chauhan, Janina Gavankar Director Michael Pearce’s sophomore effort, “Encounter” (2021), creates an initially engaging sci-fi story that eventually takes a more personal turn that showcases lasting scars of trauma. The film follows a pair of young brothers who end up going on a journey with their … Continue reading Encounter: TIFF 2021 Review

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Directors, Film Reviews

Benediction: TIFF 2021 Review

Year: 2021 Runtime: 137 minutes Director/Writer: Terence Davies Actors: Peter Capaldi, Gemma Jones, Jack Lowden, Simon Russell Beale, Jeremy Irvine, Ben Daniels, Geraldine James, Kate Phillips By Joan Amenn “Sneak home and pray you’ll never know, The hell where youth and laughter go.” – “Suicide in the Trenches,” Siegfried Sassoon Terence Davies wrote and directed “Benediction” (2021) not just as a homage to the poet … Continue reading Benediction: TIFF 2021 Review

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Female Filmmakers, Film Festivals, Film Reviews, Reviews

Petite Maman: TIFF 2021 Review

Year: 2021 Runtime: 70 minutes Director/Writer: Celine Sciamma Actors: Josephine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz, Margot Abascal, Nina Meurisse, Stephane Varupenne By Joan Amenn One of the hardest lessons a child can learn is the loss of a grandparent. Celine Sciamma, whose “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” (2019) enraptured viewers two years ago, returns with an intimate and personal meditation on the cyclical nature of life. … Continue reading Petite Maman: TIFF 2021 Review

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Film Festivals, Film Industry, Film Reviews, Netflix

TIFF 2021 Review: The Guilty

Year: 2021 Runtime: 90 Minutes Director: Antoine Fuqua Writer(s): Nic Pizzolatto (screenplay), Gustav Moller (based on original by), Emil Nygaard Albertsen (based on original by) Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Riley Keough, Eli Goree, Ethan Hawke, Peter Sarsgaard Antoine Fuqua is quickly becoming a writer/director that needs no introduction with the high-level thrills he delivers with films like “Training Day,” “Southpaw”, and both “Equalizer” films, but his … Continue reading TIFF 2021 Review: The Guilty

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Film Festivals, Film Reviews, Indie Film

Dashcam: TIFF 2021 Review

Year: 2021 Runtime: 77 Minutes Director: Rob Savage Writer: Rob Savage, Gemma Hurley, Jed Shepherd Stars: Annie Hardy, Amar Chadha-Patel Rob Savage’s “Host”(2020) was one of the biggest breakout films of 2020 as it showcased a strong horror story and execution perfectly fitting for the pandemic. Now, Savage returns with another film shot during the pandemic that blends social media monsters with a more mysterious, … Continue reading Dashcam: TIFF 2021 Review

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